U.S. patent number 6,047,632 [Application Number 09/202,721] was granted by the patent office on 2000-04-11 for device for condensing cooking steams and cooking apparatus comprising same.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Moulinex S.A.. Invention is credited to Alain Bouffay, Guy Collas.
United States Patent |
6,047,632 |
Bouffay , et al. |
April 11, 2000 |
Device for condensing cooking steams and cooking apparatus
comprising same
Abstract
The invention discloses a device for condensing steams from the
vessel of a cooking apparatus, comprising a receptacle (31)
containing a refrigerant (33) and in which is placed a conduit (35)
comprising a steam feed inlet connected to the vessel, and an
outlet for draining the condensed water. The receptacle is shaped
as a sealed unitary plastic case (40) surrounding the conduit while
leaving clear its inlet and outlet, the case comprising a filler
neck (42) for the refrigerant which is hermetically closed by a
sealing element (44).
Inventors: |
Bouffay; Alain (Herouville
Saint Clair, FR), Collas; Guy (Ifs, FR) |
Assignee: |
Moulinex S.A. (Paris,
FR)
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Family
ID: |
9493285 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/202,721 |
Filed: |
February 19, 1999 |
PCT
Filed: |
June 13, 1997 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/FR97/01058 |
371
Date: |
February 19, 1999 |
102(e)
Date: |
February 19, 1999 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO97/49320 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
December 31, 1997 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jun 21, 1996 [FR] |
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96 07725 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
99/403; 126/369;
219/401; 99/410; 99/467; 99/473 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J
36/38 (20130101); A47J 37/1276 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47J
37/12 (20060101); A47J 36/38 (20060101); A47J
36/00 (20060101); A47J 036/38 (); A47J
037/12 () |
Field of
Search: |
;99/403,410,411,412,413,414,415,416,417,418,467,473 ;126/369,20
;219/401 ;165/104.31,104.4,31,32,39,96,911 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0 095 797 |
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Dec 1983 |
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EP |
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2.180.637 |
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Nov 1973 |
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FR |
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2 657 765 |
|
Aug 1991 |
|
FR |
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85 02 304 |
|
Jul 1985 |
|
DE |
|
WO 91/04698 |
|
Apr 1991 |
|
WO |
|
WO 94/23626 |
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Oct 1994 |
|
WO |
|
Primary Examiner: Alexander; Reginald L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Young & Thompson
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Device for condensing steam from a vat (5) of a cooking
apparatus provided with a cover (12) which is closed during the
cooking phase, this device comprising a receptacle (31) containing
a refrigerating agent (33) and in which is disposed a conduit
serving as a condensate channel (35) comprising an inlet (37) for
steam to be condensed which passes through the receptacle (31) and
which is connected to the vat (5) of the cooking apparatus, and an
outlet (39) from the receptacle (31) and through which flows the
water of condensation produced by the passage of the steam through
said conduit cooled by the refrigerating agent,
characterized in that the receptacle (31) is in the form of a
sealed casing (40) made of a single piece of a plastic material
surrounding the conduit (35) leaving free the inlet (37) and the
outlet (39) of this latter, said casing (40) comprising an opening
(42) for filling with a refrigerating agent adapted to be closed
hermetically by a closure member (44).
2. Device according to claim 1,
characterized in that the casing (40) is formed by blow
molding.
3. Device according to claim 1,
characterized in that the casing (40) is formed by molding.
4. Device according to claim 1,
characterized in that the conduit (35) is shaped as a serpentine
made by blow molding a plastic material.
5. Device according to claim 1,
characterized in that the conduit (35) is shaped as a serpentine
made by molding a plastic material.
6. Device according to claim 1,
characterized in that the material of the conduit (35) is
polypropylene.
7. Device according to claim 1,
characterized in that the conduit (35) has, in alternation over all
its length, first sections (51) of the same given cross section and
second sections (53) of the same section but smaller than that of
the first sections, these second sections (53) comprising
constrictions adapted to slow the passage of the steam through the
conduit (35).
8. Device according to claim 1,
characterized in that the casing (40) has the shape of a
parallelepipedal and the conduit (35) extends in a plane parallel
to the longitudinal plane (P) of the casing (40).
9. Device according to claim 8,
characterized in that the inlet (37) and the outlet (39) of the
serpentine conduit (35) project from a same transverse face (46) of
the parallelepipedal casing (40).
10. Cooking apparatus, such as for example a deep fat fryer,
comprising an open housing (3) adapted to be closed by a cover (12)
during the cooking phase and which is provided at its bottom with a
base (10), a cooking vat (5) disposed in the housing (3), and a
tray (18) open at its rear and mounted retractably in the base (10)
of the housing,
characterized in that the tray (18) contains at least one device
(20) for condensing cooking steam, as defined in claim 1.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to cooking apparatus, such
as for example household deep fat fryers, comprising a cooking vat
adapted to be closed by a cover during the cooking phase, and
relates more particularly to a device for condensing steam from the
vat of such a cooking apparatus, this device comprising a
receptacle containing a refrigerating agent and in which is
disposed a conduit serving as a condensate channel comprising an
inlet for steam to be condensed which passes through the receptacle
and which is connected to the vat of the cooking apparatus, and a
receptacle outlet and through which flows the water of condensation
produced by the passage of the steam through the conduit cooled by
the refrigerating agent.
It is known that for such cooking apparatus, the presence of a
condensation device is particularly useful to eliminate steam
containing bad smelling substances emitted in the course of
cooking.
In a known condensation device of this type indicated above, of the
heat exchange type, the receptacle is constituted by a cold water
reservoir disposed outside on the side of the cooking apparatus,
and the condenser channel is formed by a helicoidal tube disposed
vertically in the reservoir and which has an inlet passing through
an opening provided in the upper wall of the reservoir and is
connected by tubing to the vat of the apparatus, and an outlet
passing in a sealed manner through the bottom of the reservoir.
Thus, during cooking, the vapors containing bad smelling substances
flow through and condense in the tube cooled by the water, the
condensate being collected in a collecting basin disposed below the
reservoir. However, in this condensation device, the upper wall of
the reservoir is constituted in fact by a cover which must be open
so as to permit the introduction of the helicoidal tube into the
reservoir, which complicates further the production of the
reservoir. Moreover, the mounting of the helicoidal tube in the
reservoir is difficult to carry out, in particularly at the level
of the sealed engagement of the outlet through the bottom of the
reservoir, resulting in a condensation device which is complicated
to produce and cumbersome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention particularly has for its object to overcome these
drawbacks and to provide a device for condensing steam from a
cooking apparatus, of the type described above, which will be
simple to produce and low cost, and which will ensure efficient
heat exchange and condensation.
According to the invention, the receptacle is shaped as a sealed
casing made out of one piece of plastic material enclosing the
conduit and leaving free the inlet and outlet of this latter, said
casing comprising a filling opening for a refrigerating agent
adapted to be closed in a sealed manner by a closure member.
Thus, the fact of making the receptacle about the conduit of a
single piece, in the form of a sealed casing, permits avoiding any
mounting operation of the conduit, contrary to the prior art,
thereby substantially simplifying the production of the
condensation device. Moreover, this production of the sealed casing
enclosing the conduit permits avoiding any sealing joint at the
level of the passage of the inlet and the outlet of the conduit
through the casing, thereby effecting a reduction in the cost of
production of the condensation device.
According to a preferred embodiment, the casing is formed by blow
molding.
According to the preferred embodiment, the conduit is shaped as a
serpentine formed by blow molding a plastic material.
The invention also relates to a cooking apparatus, such as for
example a deep fat fryer, comprising an open housing adapted to be
closed by a cover during the cooking phase and which is provided at
its bottom with a base, a cooking vat disposed in the housing, and
an open basin in its rear region, retractably mounted in the base
of the housing and which contains at least one device for
condensing cooking steam according to the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become
more apparent from the description which follows, by way of
non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of an
electrical cooking apparatus, such as deep fat fryer, comprising
two condensation devices according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of a
basin of the cooking apparatus of FIG. 1, in which are disposed the
two condensation devices;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of a
condensation device;
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the condensation
device shown in FIG. 3; and
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line V--V of FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The cooking apparatus 1 shown schematically in FIG. 1 is a
household electrical deep fat fryer which comprises a housing or
open receptacle 3, of generally substantially parallelepipedal
shape, in which is disposed a metallic vat 5 adapted to be heated
by electrical heating means, such as a shielded resistance 6, and
containing a frying bath 7. The housing 3 is supported at its
bottom 8 by a base 10, also of substantially parallelepipedal shape
and preferably made of a single piece with the housing, and is
adapted to be closed, during frying, by a cover 12 mounted hingedly
in a removable manner on an upper edge 13 of the housing by
disassembleable hinge means (not shown).
The cover 12 comprises on its internal surface a joint 13 so shaped
as to effect a sealing between the vat 5 and the cover 12 when the
latter is closed, as shown in FIG. 1.
The housing 3, the base 10 and the cover 12 are molded of a plastic
material such for example as polypropylene which is particularly
economical and easy to work with.
In the base 10 of the housing 3 is provided a recess 16 which opens
at the front surface 17 of the base and in which is retractably
mounted a tray or receptacle 18, better seen in FIG. 2, of
parallelepipedal shape, open at its rear and at its upper side, and
containing at least one steam condensation device, two in the
example shown in FIG. 2, designated by the same overall reference
numeral 20 in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.
In this example, FIGS. 1 and 2, the tray 18 is shaped as a drawer
which, on the one hand, is horizontally slidably mounted in the
recess 16 of the base 10 by two horizontal rails 22, of which only
one is shown in FIG. 2, engaging in two corresponding slideways
(not shown) provided respectively on the two side walls of the
recess 16, and, on the other hand, is removable. In FIGS. 1 and 2,
there is shown at 24 a wide groove provided in the front surface 26
of the vat 18 and forming a gripping member adapted for withdrawing
the tray.
The deep fat fryer 1, FIG. 1, also comprises conduit or connection
means 28 establishing communicating between the upper volume of the
vat 5 and each of the two condensation devices 20 disposed in the
tray 18 (FIG. 2), and permitting the flow of steam.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each condensation device 20 comprises a
receptacle 31 comprising a refrigerating agent 33 (FIG. 4)
constituted in this case by ice, if desired colored by a non-toxic
coloring agent, and a conduit 35 disposed in the receptacle 31 and
serving as a condensate channel. The conduit 35 comprises an inlet
37 for the steam to be condensed and projects outside the reservoir
31, and an outlet 39 opening out of the reservoir 31 and through
which is adapted to flow the water of condensation produced by the
passage of the steam through the conduit 35 cooled by the ice.
According to the invention, the reservoir 31 is shaped as a sealed
casing 40, made of a single piece of a plastic material,
surrounding the conduit 35 and leaving free the inlet 37 and the
outlet 39 of this latter, the casing 40 comprising an opening 42
(FIG. 4) for filling with water adapted to be closed in a sealed
manner by a closure member, such as for example a plug 44.
The casing 40 is preferably made of a transparent plastic material
such as for example polypropylene, and is formed either by blow
molding or by molding about the conduit 35. It should be emphasized
that the blow molding process has the advantage of being
particularly economical.
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the casing 40 has a
parallelepipedal shape and the conduit 35 is shaped as a serpentine
which extends flat in a plane parallel to the longitudinal plane P
of the casing and which is made either by blow molding or by
molding a plastic material such as for example polypropylene. As
will be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the inlet 37 and the outlet 39 of
the conduit 35 project axially from the same lateral surface 46 of
the casing 40; the water filling opening 42 is provided also in
this side surface 46 of the casing, see FIG. 4.
In FIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown at 48 the small spacers of plastic
material which connect the serpentine conduit 35 to the two
longitudinal surfaces of the casing 40 so as to maintain the
conduit correctly in place, and which are formed suitably during
blow molding of the casing 40 about the conduit 35.
In this embodiment, FIGS. 3 and 4, the serpentine conduit 35 has a
cross section of approximately rectangular shape, as shown in FIG.
5, and preferably comprises, in alternation over all its length,
sections 51 of the same given cross section and sections 53 also of
the same cross section but smaller than that of sections 51. The
sections 53 thus define constrictions and are adapted to slow the
speed of passage of the steam through the conduit 35 so as to
increase the heat exchange time with the ice 33, and thereby to
optimize the condensation of the steam.
After production in the form of a unitary assembly of the casing 40
provided with the internal conduit 35, water is poured into the
casing 40 through the filling opening 22 which is then sealed
hermetically by the plug 44. This assembly is then placed in the
freezer of a refrigerator before use, so as to permit freezing of
the water is contains.
It will be noted that a safety valve, known per se, may be arranged
at the level of the filling opening 42.
With respect to FIG. 2, the two refrigerating casings 40 with an
internal conduit 35 are mounted removably in the tray 18 and extend
in the same longitudinal direction, parallel to each other. One of
the two casings 40 is mounted reversed relative to the other casing
so as to place beside each other the two steam inlets 37, as shown
in FIG. 2.
The two refrigerating casings 40 with an internal conduit 35 rest
on cross pieces 55 (FIG. 1) surmounting the wall of the bottom 57
of the tray 18 so as to create a lower region 59 adapted to collect
the condensate flowing through the outlet 39 of each conduit 35.
Preferably, the two casings 40 are slightly inclined, respectively
toward the two longitudinal surfaces of the tray 18 so as to
facilitate the flow of condensate through the outlet 39 of each
internal conduit 35.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conduit means 28 for the cooking steam,
between the vat 5 and each of the two condensation devices 20
mounted in the tray 18, comprise a first conduit 61 which is
integrated into the cover 12 of the housing 3 and of which one end
61a opens into the upper volume of the vat 5, and a second conduit
63 which extends vertically through a through opening 64 provided
in the housing 3, from the upper edge 13 of its rear surface 66;
the conduit 63 has a joint 68 adapted to ensure sealing at the
level of the opening 64. The conduit 63 has an L-shaped cross
section whose vertical branch 63a passes through the opening 64 and
is connected sealingly to the other end 61b of the conduit 61, and
whose horizontal branch 63b is closed and comprises two openings 71
which empty into the rear region of the tray 18. To each opening 71
of the horizontal branch 63b of the conduit 63 is sealing connected
the inlet 37 of the internal conduit 35 of each of the two
refrigerating casings 40, which inlet 37 of the conduit 35 is
provided with a sleeve forming a sealing joint 72, as shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the evacuation and elimination of the
steam present in the fryer takes place in the following manner.
In the course of frying, the steam (indicated by the arrows) which
is given off and which contains the bad smelling substances,
escapes through the conduit 61, flowing downwardly through the
conduit 63 and entering, via each of the two inlet openings 71, the
corresponding inlet 37 of the serpentine conduit 35 of each of the
two refrigerating casings 40. It then circulates through each
conduit 65, being slowed by the constricted sections 53 of this
latter, and condenses in the conduit 35 which is cooled by the
frozen water 33; the water of condensation containing the bad
smelling substances flows through the outlet 39 of each conduit 35
and falls into the collecting region 59 of the tray 18.
* * * * *